Tuning the Catalytic Performance of Cobalt Nanoparticles by Tungsten Doping for Efficient and Selective Hydrogenation of Quinolines under Mild Conditions

Non-noble bimetallic CoW nanoparticles (NPs) partially embedded in a carbon matrix (CoW@C) have been prepared by a facile hydrothermal carbon-coating methodology followed by pyrolysis under an inert atmosphere. The bimetallic NPs, constituted by a multishell core-shell structure with a metallic Co core, a W-enriched shell involving Co7W6 alloyed structures, and small WO3 patches partially covering the surface of these NPs, have been established as excellent catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of quinolines to their corresponding 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines under mild conditions of pressure and temperature. It has been found that this bimetallic catalyst displays superior catalytic performance toward the formation of the target products than the monometallic Co@C, which can be attributed to the presence of the CoW alloyed structures.